Have you heard the slogans "Reduce your carbon footprint," or "Go green." People are genuinely concerned with lowering their energy consumption and lighting is one of the easiest things a person can improve upon. You may already be using energy efficient compact fluorescents (CFL's) as part of your effort to reduce your electrical bills or to join the new conservation effort. While CFLs are energy efficient, they have drawbacks such as mercury and a relatively short lifespan. Also, CFLs are not available in sizes that replace standard track light bulbs, such as MR16 and GU10's. It is unlikely that CFLs will be available in these sizes.

While CFLs provide a good combination of efficiency and cost, there is an even better option on the "Green horizon" – LED light bulbs.

Light emitting diodes (LED's) are becoming increasingly popular and more high-quality LED lighting products are being manufactured and sold in the marketplace. Although their retail cost is usually higher than that of other lamp types, LED products are much cheaper to use in the long run. They are readily available for use in recessed, accent, track, pendant, undercabinet, landscape, pool, spa and waterfall lighting.

LED lighting is an attractive alternative to incandescent or fluorescent lighting in both residential and commercial lighting applications for the following reasons:
 

• They are very energy-efficient,
• They have very long lifespans (Up to 80,000 hours)
• They are relatively small in size.
• They can be dimmable with standard dimmers.
• They generate little to no radiant heat.
• They have a slow failure rate (Instead of burning out - they slowly dim in brightness over time).
• They work well in low temperatures.
• They can be easily focused.
• They contain no toxic mercury unlike today’s popular energy-efficient lighting product, the compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL).